When Sturm, Ruger, and Co. decided to make the Ruger 10/22 in 1964, they didn’t realize they would be making a staple rifle for the hunting industry that would last a lifetime.
Sadly, a rifle’s barrel does not last a lifetime. As you use your firearm over and over you may notice that it’s getting harder and harder to place your shots accurately and with precision. This may be because you need a new barrel.
Picking a barrel doesn’t have to be overwhelming. We can help. We compiled a list of the 6 best Ruger 10/22 barrels for you to look when deciding what to get. Read on to see what to look for in a barrel and our reviews of these products below.
| Product | Our Rating | Scenario |
| BROWNELLS 10/22 M4-STYLE BARREL | 4.9/5 | Best Overall |
| E.R. SHAW 10/22 TARGET BARRELS | 4.8/5 | Budget Friendly |
| TACTICAL SOLUTIONS 10/22 SB-X | 4.9/5 | Editors Pick |
| BEYER 10/22 LIGHT TARGET BARREL | 4.8/5 | Alternative #1 |
| GREEN MOUNTAIN 10/22 BARREL | 4.8/5 | Alternative #2 |
| TACTICAL SOLUTIONS 10/22 X-RING | 3.8/5 | Alternative #3 |
REVIEW OF THE BEST RUGER 10/22 BARRELS
Keep the above features in mind as we break down the barrels below. We point out any important design elements the manufacturers made and how it impacts the user experience.
BROWNELLS RUGER 10/22 M-4 STYLE BARREL
Brownells does something fascinating with this affordable Ruger 10/22 barrel. While most of the barrel’s on this list are focused on being an upgrade from the standard barrel, this barrel only meets the common standard.
What makes it special? The barrel’s magnum contour and black finish mimic the look of the M-4 and other tactical rifles. Brownells suggests swapping out other parts of the Ruger for AR-15 parts to transform the look into that style.
On top of this unique styling, they still offer some good barrel features. The twist is 1:14” which gives it more accuracy at longer ranges. This is helped with the 18” barrel.
The barrel is about middle of the road in weight at 2.38lbs. Chrome-moly steel makes up the barrel. This material is a bit cheaper than stainless steel but lasts even a bit longer. However, the process of making it results in a less consistent accuracy.
See if the user experience backs up Brownells design below:
Positives Recap for This Product
- Accurate
- Looks great and tactical
- Durable
- Affordable
Negatives Recap for This Product
- No consistent complaints were found
E.R. SHAW 10/22 TARGET BARRELS
E.R. Shaw offers a line of barrels to match the Ruger 10/22 that range from the low-medium price range. Each one offers some different benefits than the others.
All the barrels are “Bentz” chambered. This means the barrel is tighter for the .22 ammo which gives the bullet more velocity and power.
E.R. Shaw also makes their barrels with a heavy contour. This means that there is a lot of material on the end of the barrel and not much is taken off. While this makes the rifle heavier, it also keeps them steady for better accuracy, and it takes the barrels longer to heat which lengthens the barrel life.
All the barrels also come with a 1:16” twist which is common for the Ruger 10/22.
The four different options they have come down to size and material. The two more affordable options are the blued steel. The blued finish two do a decent job of protecting the barrel from corrosion while being a cheaper material. These are available in 18” for standard heavy target contour and 16.5” for the nicer threaded contour.
The stainless steel options cost a little more because the material is more resistant to corrosion and much more durable and heat resistant. These come in the 18” length and in the standard and fluted contours. The fluted contour is nice because it offers more air contact to diffuse the heat quicker while making the barrel just a little lighter.
The user experience boils down to this:
Positives Recap for This Product
- Bentz chamber improves accuracy a lot
- Easy to fit with other stocks
- Materials are made with great construction
- Affordable and offers choices
Negatives Recap for This Product
- No consistent complaints were found for this product
BEYER BARRELS RUGER 10/22 ULTRALIGHT TARGET BARRELS
Beyer Barrels offers four different barrel options for the Ruger 10/22 all at a medium price range. The key to these barrels is the ultralight quality.
Bull barrels are full-sized barrels with almost nothing contoured on the outside of the part. In general, these are considered the best for accuracy and longevity of the barrel. But they are really heavy.
Beyer Barrels tries to fix this by making the barrel out of strong alloy aluminum. The aluminum is lighter, but by still having the larger amount of material the heat is still disbursed nicely from firing. Each barrel comes with a 1:16” twist and matte black finish.
Each barrel is matched to a specific cartridge size whether .22 long rifle or 17 Mach 2. The .22 long rifle options are 16.5” inches long and the 17 Mach 2 is 18” which reflects its purpose as a longer range ammo.
The customers reported this:
Positives Recap for This Product
- Improves accuracy at range
- Lightweight and well-balanced
- Aluminum still handles heat well
- Specific chambers are nice
Negatives Recap for This Product
- May be difficult to install
GREEN MOUNTAIN RUGER 10/22 REPLACEMENT BARRELS
With these barrels, Green Mountain is aiming to provide easy-to-install and affordable replacements for the Ruger 10/22. Each of their 3 options come in at 20” long and are made for the .22 LR.
Green Mountain made all the barrels with the Bull contour which means they weigh more but then also can handle the heat from repeated firing. It’s chambered for at the Bentz specification which offers a tighter fit to the cartridge and more velocity from the bullet.
The affordable barrels with 1:16” twist are made from either blued or stainless steel. Blued steel is the cheaper alternative, but it still has a decent reputation for resisting corrosion.
Green Mountain has a standard Bull contour but also offers fluted contour. When a barrel if fluted, there are grooves going down the length of the barrel. The grooves bring more air into contact with the barrel which keeps it cool and lighter than the standard option.
Users have reported which we’ve condensed to the following:
Positives Recap for This Product
- Affordable price
- Easy to fit on the Ruger 10/22
- Durable steel alloys
- Improved accuracy
Negatives Recap for This Product
- Really heavy
TACTICAL SOLUTIONS RUGER 10/22 X-RING BARRELS
Tactical Solutions made this more expensive line of 5 different barrels for the Ruger 10/22 owner that wants a specific set of features in their barrel. On top of these many options, this barrel is meant to be a drop-in barrel which means it’s easy to install.
Chambered for the .22 LR cartridge, the button rifling gives the rifle a stable 1:16” twist for mid-range accuracy. With a chrome liner for the aluminum shell, Tactical Solutions aims to make a lightweight but durable barrel.
To help make it even more lightweight, they contour the rifle for even lighter use. The barrels at or under 1lb even with a 16-16.5” length (depending on your choice).
There are so many options to pick from in these barrels. Check out this list for a quick reference guide:
- Finish
- Gloss black
- Matte black
- Matte silver
- O.D. green
- Flat Dark Earth
- Contour
- Fluted
- Standard lightweight
- Target
All of these are priced around the same which is a little more than some Ruger 10/22 barrels. Make sure to check the price if you’re interested.
Customers reported the following experience:
Positives Recap for This Product
- Improves accuracy
- A lot of different options and great looking styles
- Very lightweight
- Well-designed for the Ruger 10/22
Negatives Recap for This Product
- May require a lot of adjustment to fit properly
- Aluminum isn’t as tough as steel
TACTICAL SOLUTIONS RUGER 10/22 SB-X BARREL
This rifle is a little more expensive than other Ruger 10/22 barrels, but it offers all the best features along with an interesting twist.
Short barreled rifles are (12.25” or less) are heavily regulated by the ATF. But if you want the benefits of a short barreled rifle (lighter, easier to use, more powerful at short range) without going through the paperwork you can use this barrel.
Tactical Solutions added a shroud to the barrel to get it to its 16.5” length. As such, it weighs a light 1.1lbs and is easy to carry and move around.
This barrel still comes with the standard 1:16” twist and a factory contour to keep it light. The materials are chrome-moly steel and aluminum to keep it light.
As a bonus for the tactical feel, Tactical Solutions includes an inert suppressor with the purchase of this barrel.
The customers reported the following:
Positives Recap for This Product
- Improves accuracy
- Looks great
- Very light and mobile
- Included suppressor
- Easy to install
Negatives Recap for This Product
- Higher price
FEATURES OF RIFLE BARRELS
Of all the barrels on our list are good, but they aren’t right for every situation. Look at the features below to help you pick the best Ruger 10/22 barrel for your needs.
MATERIAL
Rifle barrels can come in many types of materials. In general, stainless steel is considered the standard. It’s durable, resistant to corrosion, and has a long barrel life, but it does cost more.
More affordable alternatives are blued steel and chrome-moly steel. These can still last a long time and resist corrosion, but they don’t fire as accurately.
Aluminum is an interesting choice that some manufacturers choose. It’s lighter and when used correctly it can still disburse heat well. Aluminum is a softer metal though, so it’s more easily deformed.
LENGTH
The length of a rifle impacts the bullet’s velocity when leaving the gun. Longer rifles have a longer range and more powerful shot. The downside is that they’re heavier and more awkward to use quickly.
CONTOUR
A barrel’s contour is the shape of the outer part of the barrel. They come in different kinds. A barrel’s contour can be shaped to make it lighter and also to disburse the heat better.
In some cases, the contour can be designed to provide a certain look as well. A well-balanced barrel is also contoured well, or the rifle becomes difficult to hold which can cause poor precision.
Here are some common contour choices:
- Lightweight
- Magnum
- Target
- Bull
- Heavy bull
- Fluted
RIFLING AND TWIST
When a rifle bullet leaves its weapon it needs to spin or twist. Common Ruger 10/22 twist ratios are between 1:14” and 1:18”. This means that the bullet rotates once every 14 inches.
Faster twist results in better accuracy at longer range but is harder on the gun. Slower twist makes the bullet less accurate but your firearm can shoot more without wear.
BARREL LIFE
If you’re changing your barrel because the old one wore out, you really don’t want to have to change it again quickly. You’re probably going to want one with a long barrel life. The same is true if you practice at the range a lot or shoot competitively.
If you only practice shooting occasionally and use your rifle mostly hunting, this may not need to be a top priority for you; this may be a feature you can give a little on for a lower price.
PRICE
Barrels aren’t cheap, but some can be affordable. Usually, when you go for a lower price, you sacrifice some features, but that’s OK if you don’t need them. Try to find that balance of price and quality, and remember, you can always check the current prices before you make your decision.
CONCLUSION
Now you can go buy the best Ruger 10/22 barrel for you with confidence. Thinking about what you need and what you’re willing to spend should be helpful when you decide.
I recommend one of the E.R. Shaw barrels. You can find at a price you can afford that still offers improved accuracy and easy use. In my experience, fluted contour and stainless steel are just solid choices for a barrel.
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